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Sunday, March 20, 2016

What a president should be... and it's not Trump!

This is a time to stand our ground and say no to a candidate who leads this race and is now projected to win. We don’t expect our editorial to make any difference in that trajectory, but we do think it worth putting on record what we, as Americans, should value in a president.

-- The president of the United States should be a model citizen, an exemplar of decency and high character.

-- The president should work to bridge the divides that separate the American people.

-- The president should possess a strong knowledge of the important issues of our day.

-- The president should express him or herself in ways that are refined and dignified, worthy of any audience of any age.

-- The president should understand our immigrant heritage and act with compassion when conceiving policy that shapes the lives of newcomers.

-- The president should make America a beacon to the world, promoting freedom and stability.

-- The president should possess the temperament and good judgment necessary to be trusted with the most powerful military on Earth.

These are not unreasonable expectations. We should require much of the person who would lead the free world.

And so it is truly disturbing to us that Republicans are on the verge of choosing a man who falls short on all counts.

Donald Trump fails every one of these criteria

His conduct this primary season has been beneath the high office he seeks and beneath the process that would confer it.

He violates so many of the most common standards of decency that it is not difficult to make the case against him. But his greatest failing, and one that should give every voter pause, is his vindictive nature.